36 AN ANGLER'S YEAR 



Pike Scissors (Fig. 26) supplemented with a piece of 

 stout holly about four inches long, with which to prop the 

 jaws open, if the scissors be wanted to cut a hook out. 



A word or two on baits will conclude this chapter. 

 For spinning the baits need not be large, and, in fact, 

 suit better if small, as they can be used with a lighter 

 rod and tackle. Indeed, one old friend of the writer 

 has spun this district for pike for years with a 10ft. 6in. 

 steel-centred, Hardy fly-rod, and during that time has 

 taken fish up to 251bs. in weight two in one day being 

 over 201bs. each. 



Preserved bait may be used, but personally the writer 

 prefers a fresh bait, which sinks without added lead. 



As regards live-bait, I imagine that a large bait, up to 

 six or eight ounces, is more attractive to a big fish than 

 a small one ; and the head of a pike now in the writer's 

 possession confirms this. The original owner of the head, 

 a fish of 171bs. was found in Wroxham Broad choked 

 by a 31b. bream, which was firmly impacted in the 

 pike's gullet. In spinning the angler covers his fish, 

 while in live-baiting the pike has usually to make some 

 advances to approach the fish ; and if the bait is not a 

 fair size, the big, lazy pike will not trouble. That is my 

 idea of the matter. 



Just a word on carrying bait. If the weather be at 

 all warm, or the journey be long, two-pennyworth of ice 

 on the top of the bait-can will mean the difference 

 between brisk, lively, and attractive bait, and limp, 

 half-dead abominations which even an eel looks at with 

 distrust. 



PlKE-FlSHING ON THE KENNET. 



IN the first portion of this chapter I dealt with pike- 

 fishing on shallow, muddy lagoons, such as the Norfolk 

 Broads essentially are. The River Kennet, on the 

 other hand, is a water of a very different character. 



Flowing in still, slowly-running deeps, alternating 

 with swift, rippling shallows full of waving water-weeds, 

 with a nice gravelly bottom lying exposed between the 



